Troy Napope’s family had long feared the worst. The 23-year-old had been missing for nine months, and although his body had not been found, police were treating the case as a homicide.

Now those fears are realized. Police have charged 27-year-old Braidy Chase Vermette with first-degree murder in connection with Napope’s death.

“Finally the day is here that there is justice for Troy,” his aunt, Linda Napope, said in an interview Monday after hearing of the charge.

RCMP announced the murder charge on Monday. Napope had been subject of a missing person investigation since June 2015, when family reported him missing.

Vermette appeared Monday in Prince Albert provincial court.

Annie Napope, Troy’s cousin, said Napope was a known gang member and was briefly the leader of the Terror Squad in Prince Albert. She said she believes the killing was prompted by personal jealousy.

“It’s not about the gang,” she said.

RCMP said the charge was the result of a “lengthy investigation” and that they believe Napope was killed on May 28, 2015, “which is consistent with when Napope was last seen by friends.”

In January, RCMP investigated a patch of forest north of Prince Albert on Whitfield Road, where Napope’s burned car had been found. In February, they asked residents within a 10-kilometre radius west of the Saskatchewan Penitentiary to search their properties.

Linda Napope said RCMP have told the family they now know where Napope’s body is located and that they are waiting until the snow melts to retrieve it. RCMP did not confirm her claim.

Annie Napope said despite her cousin’s alleged involvement with gangs and illegal activities, he was a good man and a loving father of a two-year-old son.

“He was a very loving, caring person. He always took care of his sisters and brothers,” she said.

She thanked police for their efforts in keeping pressure up on the case.

She hopes the full truth of what happened to her cousin will come out in court and that those responsible for his death will be held accountable, she said.

This Week's Flyers

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.